


Molasses in January

by astudyinfic



Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux, Sidewinder Series - Abigail Roux
Genre: Friendship, Humor, M/M, Sidewinder traditions, holiday celebration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2020-10-01 16:56:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20343124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: Sidewinder has some unusual traditions.  Zane doesn't think he'll ever get used to all of them.  Especially the ones like this.





	Molasses in January

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, in my defense, I had no idea I was going to write this today. But then I saw something about it being the one-hundredth anniversary of the Boston Molasses Flood and after a bit of reading, this fic happened. I absolve myself of all responsibility here. Unless you really like it, in which case, you’re welcome. -J
> 
> Originally posted [here](http://astudyinfic.tumblr.com/post/182051640064/molasses-in-january-zanewinder-ficlet) and previously on AO3.

“While I assume this is a Sidewinder thing and therefore inexplicable and possibly illegal, tell me again why we are going to Boston. On a Tuesday.” For all Zane knew, it was an excuse to get out of work and drive the Mustang up the coast but when it came to Nick and Ty, one never knew. 

Ty glanced over at him before settling his gaze back on the road. “Because it is January fifteenth and is we are all around, we go to Boston on January fifteenth.” That explanation did absolutely nothing to enlighten Zane and he just glared at his frustrating partner while waiting for Ty to elaborate. “It’s a Boston thing. I don’t understand. I just go for the rum.”

Zane sighed and ran his hand through his hair, eyes cast skyward as he asked for patience to deal with his husband and the Recon team he apparently married. “So we are going to Boston, missing work with no explanation, so that you can drink rum with the team because it is January fifteenth?” If anyone else told him that, Zane would have laughed in their faces. As it was, this seemed par for the course with Sidewinder.

Nodding, Ty didn’t take his eyes off the road and Zane dropped it for now. Surely there was another explanation but he couldn’t fathom what it would be. In his time with Ty, however, Zane had learned that expecting logic from Ty and his team was a lesson in futility. In battle, they were deadly. In civilian life, they were one step away from being committed. The lot of them.

Not that Zane was any better.

They pulled in to a bar in the northern part of the city and only then did Ty look over at Zane in concern. “I should have warned you about the rum ahead of time. Are you okay with this? I’m sure Nick would let you chill on the Fiddlers until we’re done if that’s better.”

“Oh hell no,” Zane said with a laugh. “I want to know what this is all about. Don’t worry about me, doll. I’ll be fine.” 

Ty gave him a quick kiss before lacing their fingers together and leading the way into the bar. “Six! Zane!” Nick called from the back of the place. “Took you two long enough!”

They picked their way through the crowd, more people there than Zane would have expected for the middle of the day on a Tuesday. He hugged both Nick and Kelly when he got to the table and Ty did the same. “Just the four of us this year?” Ty asked, pulling out a chair for Zane before sitting as well. “Where are Digger and Johns?”

“Johns informed me that he works for a living and can’t fly to Boston for a day just to drink. Which we both know is bullshit because he’s flown farther for less. He’s just lazy. But he did say he’d drink tonight. And Digger…is on house arrest again.”

“Who’d he blow up this time?” Zane asked, snickering. There were three glasses filled with a warm amber colored liquid on the table, as well as a large glass of iced tea. Zane nodded his thanks to Nick and Kelly, always grateful when they remembered. 

Kelly shrugged. “We’re not sure but I’m sure it’s fine.”

“Since the group is here,” Nick interrupted, raising his glass in toast. “To those that died and those that were hurt a hundred years ago today. May they never be forgotten.” The three men clinked their glasses together and Zane followed suit a moment later, still not sure what this was about but feeling this was a weird tribute to anyone.

As Ty sipped his drink, Zane leaned over. “Is this a Marine thing?” It was the only thing that made sense, and only just barely.

Shaking his head, Ty chuckled. “No, it’s a Boston thing. Enlighten him, Irish.”

“You didn’t tell him?” Nick looked flabbergasted. “A hundred years ago today, a huge vat of molasses broke, right here in Boston. Twenty-one people were killed in the ensuing wave, and over a hundred were injured. And by huge I mean a couple million gallons of the stuff, flowing through Boston and destroying everything in its path.”

“So you get together to drink to the memory of people who died in a tsunami of molasses?” Zane’s brows nearly reached his hairline and he only wished he was more surprised. With this group, that was almost…tame. 

Seeing the look on his husband’s face, Ty laughed, leaning over to kiss his cheek. “And since molasses is used to make rum, that is how we honor them. By drinking that which killed them and making sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“You’re all batshit, you know that, right?” Zane asked, unable to keep the laugh out of his voice.

Kelly nodded while Nick and Ty laughed loudly, drawing the attention of some of the other patrons. “This is hardly the strangest tradition we have,” Doc explained and Zane figured that was probably truer than he wanted it to be.

Standing, Nick reached across the table and planted a kiss on Zane’s forehead before plopping back down in his chair and finishing his glass. He leaned against Kelly, an easy grin on his face. He’d obviously had a few glasses before they’d arrived. “Welcome to Recon, Zane!”

“Oohrah!” the others responded and Zane dropped his head to the table. For better or for worse, he muttered to himself, drawing a laugh from Ty who was close enough to hear him, even over the din of the bar. For better or for worse.

It certainly could have been worse, and in the end, Zane sighed, rolled his shoulders back and settled in to listen to their stories, appreciating that they always made an effort to treat him like he was one of the team. And seeing Ty’s face, flush with happiness and the after effects of the rum, made all the craziness worth it. Being with Ty was worth anything. Even toasts to disasters of old.


End file.
